


'Tis the season to be in love

by RaymondHope



Series: 'Tis the season... [2]
Category: A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms, A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Daenerys keeps him safe, Everything is Beautiful and Nothing Hurts, F/M, Family Drama, Jorah is a walking disaster, Professor!Jorah, Various canon characters (mentioned), not sad but very funny
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-04
Updated: 2020-12-23
Packaged: 2021-03-10 02:49:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,639
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27877129
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RaymondHope/pseuds/RaymondHope
Summary: We know what they did for Halloween, let's find out what they did for Christmas!
Relationships: Grey Worm/Missandei, Jorah Mormont/Daenerys Targaryen
Series: 'Tis the season... [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2041053
Comments: 61
Kudos: 46
Collections: Winter Jorleesi 2020





	1. Season's delicacy

**Author's Note:**

> Well, the last part was a story told in pictures via moodboards, this one is a written companion to it! 
> 
> Also, I am so sorry I didn't reply to the comments on the previous part. I swear I thought I did, but realsised yesterday that I hadnt. Rest assured, I did read all the lovely comments and am really pleased that everyone enjoyed my first attempt at moodboards.

Daenerys checked to make sure that her boyfriend was still asleep. Her and Jorah had been out at their favorite pub and gotten back rather late and a bit too drunk if their hysterical giggling as they tried to avoid waking his neighbors was anything to go by. After seeing that he was still puffing away in sleep, she slowly got out of bed, and made her way to his study, closing the door behind her.

She knew he kept a diary detailing all his contacts and related information in a locked drawer in his desk. He called it his ‘golden days style offline backup’.

Honestly, this man’s aversion to technology was legendary. He had a smart phone, thanks to Daenerys’s insistence, but he hardly ever used it for anything than making calls. At least he knew how to answer a facetime call, otherwise Daenerys wouldn’t be able to survive when he went away for some conference this month.

Daenerys found the phone number and email she was looking for and took a picture of the page with her own phone. She then replaced the book and tried to leave everything the way it had been when she entered. With any luck, Jorah wouldn’t notice a thing.

She tiptoed back into his bed and curled up under his arm. His hair was sticking up on one side, she smoothed it back down, smiling softly at him.

To think, six months ago she didn’t even know he existed. Now, she couldn’t imagine her life without him.

She was new to this small college town in England, coming here just as the next session started. Her landlady had recommended The Red Keep as a good place to get books and some decent coffee.

On her second afternoon there, a handsome man complained that she had taken his chair. Last night he claimed that she had taken his heart as well.

“I haven’t seen you around here.”

Dany looked up from her book, “Probably because I’m new here.”

The man tilted his head, “Huh, that would explain why you’ve so brazenly stolen my chair.”

Dany huffed and went back to her book, “It doesn’t have your name on it.”

The man smirked, “Actually, it does.” He pointed to the arm rest facing the fireplace.

Dany looked, and found a small plate on the side, not visible at first glance, that said, ‘ _J. Mormont’._

Feeling mortified, she slowly turned back to him, only to be faced with a college ID card that identified the man as Prof. J. Mormont.

“My apologies, Professor Mormont.”

He gestured to the arm chair opposite and arguably identical to the one she was in, “May I?”

“Yes, please Professor Mormont.”

He sat down, smiled at her and said, “Call me Jorah.”

* * *

When Jorah returned to his apartment with his suitcase in tow, having just got back from a conference on Scottish folk literature, he expected to be greeted by his girlfriend of a few months. He even expected a delicious meal since that is what he had been promised by her. What he did not expect was to find the aroma of his mother’s special recipe for vegetable stew wafting from the kitchen.

“Daenerys…” He called out, wondering if his nose was just confused.

“In here!”

He dumped his suitcase near the doorway and went to the kitchen. He found Daenerys and gave her a quick kiss on the lips as she stirred the pot.

“You keep your hands off the lass while she’s cooking.”

Hearing the gruff command, Jorah immediately jumped looking around frantically while Daenerys giggled.

“Down here you silly lad!”

Jorah spotted Daenerys’s phone propped up next to the stove, “Aunt Maege? Uh… Hallo!”

“Hello to you too Jorah. Dany darling, keep stirring the pot for another five minutes then close the lid and let simmer for two, alright? Meanwhile, Jorah will pick me up and take me to the other room, I need to have a few words with my idiot of a nephew.”

Both replied in unison, “Yes Aunt Maege.” And then did as they were told.

“Are you alone lad?”

Jorah closed the door to his study behind him, “I am. How did she even get your number? I know I didn’t give it to her.”

Maege huffed at him, slightly annoyed, “No, you couldn’t even be bothered to tell me that your lady friend was living with you. Now listen here, and listen good. You’ve had that woman in your life since Halloween, and now it’s almost Christmas. Normally I’d say it’s too soon to judge, but that woman called me the moment you left and begged me to reveal your favorite holiday dish so she could make it for you. This is her fourth attempt, and even if it tastes like shit you will eat it and you’ll do it with a smile and ask for seconds. Is that clear?”

“I…”, Jorah felt his throat close. He hadn’t mentioned much of his family, mainly because he rarely saw them anymore. His father and him and parted on less than kind terms, for a couple of years now he had been using distance and work as an excuse to not visit during holidays. But he had missed his home and family whenever Christmas came along.

“Is that clear?”

He nodded.

Seeing his face Maege smiled at him, “Come home for New Years. I want to meet that woman in person. And no excuses about work, she’s already told me you took time off.”

He sniffed and let go of all his protests. One never disobeyed a direct command from Aunt Maege. “Aye.”

“Aye.” She mocked. “Go, enjoy dinner and bring some chocolates or something to make your cousins happy when you come.”

* * *

Daenerys waited with baited breath as she turned off the stove. Hopefully this time around the stew would actually be edible. She just hoped that Jorah would appreciate her efforts enough to forgive the violation of privacy. She had technically broken into his desk and stolen his aunt’s number from his diary. Granted, her intentions were to give him a piece of home especially since he never visited his family. From him all she knew was that there was some conflict between his father, Major General Jeor Mormont, and him, and she knew he spoke to his aunt and cousins, at least twice a month, but that was sadly all. His aunt had told her more about Jorah than Jorah himself had.

He entered the room, again, “Here’s your phone.”

She took it from him but held onto his hand, seeing he was upset. “Jorah-”

She never got to finish her sentence as he pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her. She held him tightly. His breathing was bit unsteady, she slowly rubbed his back. After a few minutes he took a deep breath and pulled back, scratching his nose.

“Aunt Maege wants us to celebrate the New Year with them. She wants to meet you. Will you come?”

How could she even think about saying no when he looked at her with those puppy dog eyes and asked so sweetly?

“Of course.” And even though there was no mistletoe above them, they kissed.

For Jorah, it was more than just a sweet kiss. It was a promise, and a reassurance. The knowledge that he had made the right choice in letting Dany into his life and heart. He couldn’t even imagine how different his life would have been if he hadn’t invited her for a walk near the lake. A walk he never wanted to end, a walk that ended with the promise of a date. 

“Come on, see what I made for dinner.”

Sometime later, when the stew was eaten and appreciated, and Jorah was walking her back to her apartment, he told her a bit about his mother.

“If someone asked me to define what was good and kind, I would have pointed at her and left it at that. Being with her and being happy were one and the same, and the world felt empty and cold with her gone.”

Daenerys was snuggled under his arm thrown around her shoulders, “What about your aunt? She seems to love you a lot, and from what she said, so do your cousins.”

Jorah chuckled, “Oh, she’s a good woman, but nothing like my mother was. Quite the opposite really. A kinder yet somehow even more intimidating version of father would be a better way to describe her.”

“But she raised with her own children, right?”

He nodded, “That she did. Aunt Maege took over many household duties for my father, after school I went over to her place, she raised me as much as she could. I’ve missed her the most these few years.”

Dany gave voice to something that had bothered her since Jorah’s request. “What happened between your father and you? He’ll be there in your hometown, won’t he?”

“He won’t actually. He’ll be in Edinburg, at the military academy per usual. We’ll be going to my childhood farm in Perth. And what happened is actually quite simple, and it was his fault. You know I was discharged honorably from the military after being injured. During my recovery I finally finished off my master’s degree. He was fine with it all then, since I couldn’t move around. Later, when I decided to move here to pursue my Ph.D., he protested vehemently to say the least. He felt I should leave all the books and stories once again, the same way I did when he pushed me to enroll in the military, and instead become an instructor at the academy like he did. This time, I refused. I’ve pretty much been exiled to England since then. He didn’t even come to my convocation or congratulate me when I landed a teaching job. I had to leave my shepherd, Longclaw with him though, I couldn’t find a place that allows dogs so I couldn’t bring him with me at the time. He should get along with those beasts of yours.”

Daenerys pulled away and smacked him in the chest, “They are not beasts! They are my children!”

“They’re devils.”

“Jorah Mormont if you insult Drogon, Viserion and Rhaegal one more time then so god help me.”

“I’ll stop insulting those draconic cats the day they stop trying to scratch my eyes out!”

Daenerys shook her head at him and opened her apartment door. Just as Jorah closed the door behind him, the three cats Daenerys had rescued after her husband and son’s death as kittens came running and started to nip and claw at his legs.

All Daenerys could do was laugh as her boyfriend hoped from one foot to the other trying to shake them off while muttering curses in Gaelic.


	2. Holiday's Happiness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For Christmas, Jorah and Daenerys meet some dear friends and have a laugh.

Daenerys should not have laughed. But she had. Now there was nothing else to do except tell her friends and embarrass her boyfriend further.

Missandei was laughing and even her husband, Torgo Nudho, or as they called him, Grey, was smiling, though guiltily. They were sitting in a café, Missandei and Daenerys next to each other and Grey in front of them. Jorah was running late as usual. So, to pass the time, Dany decided to tell her friends about his latest exploit.

Putting ugly sweaters on her cats.

Drogo’s cousin, Rakharo and his wife, Irri had sent three tiny sweaters for the cats as a joke, something they did every year without fail, just to remind her that the Dothraki family would always welcome her.

She had seen them and laughed saying that getting them on the cats was not a task she looked forward to. Sweetheart that he was Jorah decided to do it for her as a surprise.

She relayed what had happened while letting it play out in her memory. Daenerys had come home from work only to have Drogon run up to her and start meowing angrily.

“What happened to you boy?” Dany bent down and picked him up, taking him to the living room. Just as she sat down, Rhaegal entered dragging a tiny green sweater in his mouth.

“I see you two have gotten into mischief while I was at work.” She wondered where Jorah was, she had thought that he had come home early.

She didn’t have to wait too long, as he came to her himself. “I swear to God, when I get back Longclaw, I’m going to set him onto these devils of yours!” Viserion who was perched on his shoulder jumped down and swiped at his foot before coming to Daenerys.

Seeing Viserion in a dastardly yellow sweater she understood what had happened.

“What made you think that putting sweaters on the cats was a good idea?”

He looked remarkably affronted, “Me? It was your idea! I’m just the executioner.”

It was then that she noticed the bloody tissues in his hand, and the few scratches near his left eye.

“Oh god, let me get some bandages.”

While Daenerys played nursemaid to her boyfriend, the man himself went off into a rant about how he would set his big shepherd dog onto her cats, and not show any mercy.

These threats came from the man who spent an hour collecting spiders from all corners of her apartment when she first moved in, and then set them free in the garden downstairs.

How she laughed at him.

“Daenerys, you should not be making fun of the Colonel.”

“My sincerest apologies, Major.” Daenerys mocked. Missandei and her began laughing again.

“Look sharp soldier!”

Grey immediately shot out of his chair, knocking it over, and stood at attention stating loudly, “Sir, yes Sir!”

Dany could clearly see the realization that he was on a holiday creep into his eyes and war with his training and compulsive desire to obey commands. He looked tortured.

That was enough to send them into fits of laughter Dany almost fell out of her chair while Missandei snorted her coffee. The entire café turned to look at the commotion and, in the center, stood smiling the one who started it all.

“At ease, comrade.” Jorah came up behind him, smiling that ‘cat got the cream’ grin of his. He gently put a hand on Grey’s shoulder, “Relax Grey, enjoy the holiday season.”

Very kindly he lifted the chair and helped Grey settle into it, even patting his back and waving off the waiter to came to check that everything was alright. But through it all, the three of them could see clearly that he regretted nothing at all. 

Grey and Jorah had known each other since their days in the army. Grey was a new recruit sent out to the front where Jorah was serving as the Commanding Officer of the Golden Company Battalion. He had immediately taken Grey under his wing, initially as an assistant. He trained him personally in military tactics, sharing his own experience and whatever he had learnt from his father and his army buddies, even encouraging him to join the command track. Unfortunately, Jorah had retired hurt before Grey had started moving up the ranks.

It was a surprising twist of fate that Grey started dating Dany’s best friend. It was only a few weeks ago that Grey and Jorah reconnected with each other after.

“So, ladies, what did I miss?”

Grey replied before either of them, eager to get back some pride from his mentor and now friend.

“Dany was telling us how you nearly lost an eye trying to get her cats to wear sweaters.”

Jorah blushed furiously while the three of them laughed. He tilted his head to the side, making the band-aid near his eye even more prominent, and scratched his nose before graciously accepting his defeat.

“Aye, I suppose I did do that. Hit the mark on that one Major. Good job.”

Missandei and Dany rolled their eyes, “Boys.”

Both boys just grinned sheepishly and looked at their ladies like they had hung the moon and the stars in the sky.

“Good evening lovely ladies and grouchy men. Some patrons are complaining about your behavior. It makes them uncomfortable.”

The owner of the restaurant, Tyrion Lannister, and a friend of Jorah’s sauntered over to them, not even bothering to look as annoyed as his words made him out to be. Tyrion also owned the Red Keep, where Jorah and Dany had first met.

Jorah cleared his throat, “If they can bear to eat in your establishments, they can tolerate us just fine.”

The small man laughed heartily, perhaps a bit drunkenly even. Tyrion was a well-known high functioning acholic. It was rare to find him sober, Dany couldn’t remember a time he was, Jorah who knew him longer just said that once he had stayed sober for three months, but refused to elaborate why and how.

Tyrion smiled and raised an eyebrow, “I’m setting up and open mic night at the bar tonight, perhaps our dear professor would be willing to grace the beer drinkers with his wit? Although I suggest you leave your glowers at home Mormont.”

“I’ll leave the comedy to you and Bronn.” Jorah paused, “Have you tried getting Jaime and Brienne to argue on stage? I’m sure that would tickle some ribs.”

Dany snorted into her coffee.

“Good idea. For now, today’s Christmas eve special is on the house. I’ll be seeing you for the New Year’s dinner I'm hosting I presume?”

“Not this year, my friend. Dany and I are going home.”

While Tyrion gave his best regards, and Dany hung up on his words, finding them truer than he could ever know.

Home was wherever Jorah was.

* * *

It was Christmas morning, and Dany fully intended to sleep in on her holiday.

Unfortunately for her, Jorah had other plans.

He tugged at her blanket, while getting in her face.

“Wake up! It’s Christmas Morning!”

Dany groaned and tried to roll over and bury her face in a pillow. “It’s six in the morning. Go, sleep some more.”

Jorah started whining, “But the presents!”

Dany rolled her eyes, “What are you, five?”

“No, but you’re certainly the Grinch.”

Dany shot up, Jorah in his haste to get out of the way tumbled onto the floor.

“How dare you?”

The silly man just laughed at her, “What? It’s true.”

Dany felt her ears go red, “Why you… come here!” She grabbed a pillow and tried to smack him on the head with it, but he was too fast for her. She threw her comforter off and chased after him with a pillow. They ran in circles around the dining table, almost slipped twice in the hall, rudely woke up the cats and gave them a fright, before Jorah finally went into the living room and stubbed his toe against the table.

“Ahh!” He fell down and cradled his foot. Seeing him in pain, Dany promptly forgot her annoyance and started fussing over him.

She sat on the floor next to him, applying some ice she fetched form the fridge on his foot. “Well, maybe this will teach you to not run around the house like an excited puppy.”

Jorah lay down with his head in her lap, “Puppies are nice.”

She smiled and stroked his hair. “Hmm, I suppose they are cute.” She bopped his nose making him smile, though he looked rather bemused.

After a few more minutes of being fussed over, Jorah remembered his original mission, “Can we open the presents now.”

Dany threw her hands up, “Alright.”

He scrambled off to the small tree in the corner of the room and grabbed a medium sized package and handed it to her. “For you.”

Suddenly his excitement made sense. It wasn’t about him at all, it was for her. Dany had never actually celebrated Christmas, her family was not religious, nor very cheery or even entirely sane for that matter. For years she had avoided the holidays like the plague, even with her college friends and later with Drogo as well, arguing that they didn’t believe in it. With Jorah, there wasn’t much celebration or decoration except for the tree which was ready made.

She took the box and kissed him softly, their foreheads resting against each other after breaking apart.

The words were at her tongue. Btu she didn’t let them out yet, fearing it was too soon.

“It’s probably too soon to say this, and I understand if you don’t feel the same way,” Jorah paused and swallowed, “But I want you to know that… I love you.”

She kissed him again.

Some time later she would kiss him again, this time more excitedly when she would see the books he got her, and later in the evening, he would kiss her first when she would say the three little words back to him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jaime is with not with Cersei, Tyrion is a succesful business man, and Grey and Jorah are old friends.


	3. Old Endings, New Beginnings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> New Year's Eve with the Mormont Family!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter stars Westeros's true MVP:  
> Maege Mormont!

“Wait, so Jorah knows how to ride horses?”

Maege scoffed at her, “He wouldn’t be a Mormont if he didn’t know how to.”

New Year’s Eve dinner had gone better than she could have imagined. Maege was an amazing cook, and Jorah’s cousins were welcoming despite their gruff exterior.

As Daenerys found out tonight, the Mormonts owned several farms, passed down generations, which was the main occupation for the family, but Jorah’s mother had set up their own stables which trained horses and taught new riders, mainly older children. While the men went off to join the Military, the women managed the farms, though recently the women had started to follow the men into service. Dacey and Alysane, the two oldest, were both in the Navy. The youngest, Lyanna, intended to join the Army once she was old enough. The other two, Lyra preferred working with the horses, while Jorelle liked to help her mother with the farms. 

Maege continued, “My nephew has never been one to brag, but that doesn’t make him any less impressive than anyone else!”

“Maege please.” Jorah mumbled from behind his hands.

Dacey flipped her hair over her shoulder, “Now cousin, there’s no need to be modest. You’ve brought the girl home; you can stop trying to charm her now.”

His cousins laughed while Jorah groaned. Dany had to admit, his family was nothing of not interesting. Meeting the Mormont women also made her understand him more. Raised by an aunt even God wouldn’t disobey, alongside five girls who were just as strong-willed and unapologetic for who they were, well, no wonder the man treated women less like people and more like forces of nature.

Maege got up and began gathering up their plates. “Jorah, take Dany to the stables, and get her on a horse before the day is done. Alysane and Lyra will go with you.”

Jorelle jumped in, “My riding kit should fit you just fine. Come on!”

“I’ve never spent new year’s eve doing something like this.”

Lyanna picked up the glasses, helping her mother, “Then what does your family do for the holidays?”

Dany blushed, feeling very embarrassed at her disastrous and dysfunctional family, “Um... nothing really. My family isn’t really worth talking about. I'm not in touch with them.”

Jorah pushed his chair in and extended a hand to her with a smile, “Your family sucks, so new traditions.”

Soon, Dany was properly bundled up and dressed in a riding gear. Despite all the shuffling form place to place in her life, she was a city girl and had never actually seen a horse close up.

She was listening to Lyra explain the basics of horse riding while Jorah and Alysane went to fetch horses for them all. Dany turned when she felt something behind her,

“AHHHHH!”

“Woah, woah, calm down, you’re scaring the horse!” Jorah spoke calmly while trying to get the horse to stop shuffling.

Dany was having none of it, “Me scare that beast?! That thing is huge! It could eat me if it wanted!”

“They’re all vegetarian.” Lyra answered her with a smirk.

Dany felt her ears go red, “It’s still huge.”

“ _She_ is very gentle.” Jorah stroked the horse’s neck, and crooned softly in its ear. “I broke her in myself a few years ago.”

After much coaxing from Jorah and much more teasing from Lyra and Alysane, Dany finally agreed to get on the horse. She couldn’t climb on herself, Jorah practically picked her up and tossed her onto the beast’s back. More than once she ended up hanging on for dear life, and more than once Jorah came to her rescue and calmed the horse down, and calmed her down while he was at it.

“Well, that wasn’t so bad.” He smiled at her, ever the gentlemen, on the way back to the farmhouse.

Lyra replied before she could, “It was certainly better than Lynesse.”

Dany could swear she heard Jorah’s teeth grind. He brushed past them and hurried inside.

“What…” Dany began.

Lyra unsuccessfully called after him.

“Ah, this one’s on me. Shouldn’t have brought up that witch’s name.” Lyra winced, as Alysane smacked her on the backside of her head.

“Dacey will have your head for this!”

“Who’s Lynesse?” Dany was confused, she had never seen Jorah react like that.

“She’s, um…” Both sisters looked at the other, not willing to answer.

By now they were at the threshold, and aunt Maege was waiting for them.

Thankfully she looked more confused than anything. “What did you do to upset that lad so much?”

Lyra refused to meet her eyes, Alysane stared off into the distance.

Dany sighed, “We were walking back, and Lyra mentioned someone named Lynesse. That’s all.”

“Oh, good Lord,” Maege rubbed a hand over her eyes, “That’s all that was needed to complete the holiday. Lyra how could you be so careless?”

She turned away without waiting for an answer, “Dacey, Lyanna, go check on your cousin right now!”

There was some running, but no questions asked on Maege’s gruff and urgent command.

All of this just confused Dany even more, it was just one person for heaven’s sake.

“Alright that’s enough. Who is Lynesse, and why did Jorah behave like that?”

Maege looked at her with kindness, “He didn’t tell you, did he. It’s not my place to tell it, but-”

She was cut off by Lyanna running into the room.

“Jorah climbed out the window, Dacey went after him.”

Maege frowned, “Out the window?”

“Yup.” Lyanna nodded.

Dany put her foot down. “Now this is out of hand. One of you is going to tell me why my boyfriend just jumped out the window upon hearing one bloody name.”

Maege took her inside and sat her down with a cup of tea.

“He crawled out the window probably because he felt cornered by Dacey, he used to do that often with his father. I'm not surprised that he wants to pretend it never happened. Lynesse, well, she was his wife.”

Alysane scoffed and added before Dany could respond, “Not that she deserved to be called that.”

Dany felt a bit shaken, “He never told me he was married…”

Maege sighed, “Despite her best efforts to draw out the divorce, she won't be his wife for long. Lynesse and Jorah met an Army function celebrating my brother Jeor’s retirement. She was the perfect woman at first, Jorah took a shine to her, even though it was clear she was from a different world than any of us. When he was promoted, he asked her to marry him while out celebrating with a few friends, and they got married soon after. Everything was fine at first, but then he was deployed overseas and the problems began. She just wasn’t cut out to be a military man’s wife. She had an affair, possibly more, and left when Jorah was injured and honorably discharged.”

Dany felt her head spin. She had truly thought he was single and had been so for a long time. Every day she learnt new things about this man, granted, they were still in the first six months of their relationship, but surely, he could have told her he was in the middle of an ugly divorce?

She was still digesting the news when Jorah was dragged in by Dacey.

“Caught him!” She announced triumphantly, but all Daenerys felt was anger.

She stood up, “You! We need to talk!”

She saw Jorah’s face fall further, and watched him steel himself before leading her outside.

It was dark now, and she could just about make out the first stars of the night. There was no moon, the light from the windows cast a hypnotic shadow on his face. He looked like a marble statue sculpted with care by a long-forgotten artist.

She shook her head, she was supposed to be mad at him, not trying to restrain herself from stroking the various lines and contours of his face, as tempting as it may be.

“Maege told me that Lynesse cheated on you when you were deployed and left when you were discharged from the military. Also, that legally, you are still married.”

Jorah flinched and avoided her eyes, “She did more than just cheat on me, she cleared out my bank account, and even put me in debt with some loan sharks. Jaime had Tyrion bail me out of that. I have proof of everything, so the divorce will go through nor will I have to pay alimony. She’s just dragging it out as much as possible to spite me.”

She felt her anger abate a bit. “That’s awful. I'm sorry.”

He frowned, looking more hurt than angry, “Don’t be, I deserved it.”

She uncrossed her arms, “No one deserves to have their heart broken like that.”

He finally looked at her, “I'm sorry you had to find out like this.”

Dany sighed, “Why didn’t you tell me?”

He smiled, sadly, awkwardly, and whispered, almost afraid, “No one likes old and broken things.”

Dany felt her heart ache. She stepped closer, wrapping her arms around his neck, “In case you haven’t realized it yet, despite appearances, I'm neither new nor polished.”

They both had dead mothers, he had a troubled relationship with his father, hers was outright mad as was her living brother, he had a vindictive ex, she had a dead husband and son from a teenage pregnancy, and a pair of terrible lovers, he had a military past, she had a failed law career… perhaps finally their broken pieces would fit with each other.

They kissed as the stars shone overhead.

Somewhere to their left, a curtain fell back into place across a window, and a woman smiled.

When they broke apart, their foreheads touching, eyes closed, Jorah whispered in her ear, “We're broken and burderened, but the next year doesn't have to be.”

Dany agreed, and showed it with another kiss. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just one chapter to go...  
> The Holidays aren't done yet!


	4. Small world, Long Tales

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The world is smaller than you think, but the tales people tell are long.

“You gave away Longclaw?!”

“Jorah listen to me-”

“NO!”

Maege tried to interrupt, “Jorah-”

“Stay out of it Maege!” He whirled back to face Jeor, “Longclaw was mine! You had no right to give him away.”

Jeor scoffed at him, “You left him with me and refused to stay in touch-”

Jorah shouted at him. “Don’t blame me for your decisions!”

Jeor shouted back, “I did what was best!”

Jorah’s voice dropped to a deathly whisper, “Best for whom?”

He brushed past him without waiting for an answer, and went upstairs, Daenerys gave a forlorn look to Maege, and seeing her nod, followed after him.

This was not how they had planned the meeting between father and son to go.

Maege had asked Daenerys if Jorah would be amenable to reconciling with his father, when Dany had asked him, he had said if Jeor would knock, he would open the door.

What they hadn’t expected was that Jorah would add the additional requirement of his dog’s presence.

Longclaw was a service dog Jorah had gotten when he was in the rehab centre, a detail her boyfriend hadn’t mentioned. A detail that was important to Jeor, who appeared to believe that a hunting dog was fine, but a service dog was a waste of space.

She found Jorah throwing all his clothes in a suitcase.

She sighed, “I guess we’re leaving?”

Jorah cleared his throat, “We were supposed to return tomorrow anyway, so what’s the difference?”

“Fair enough.” She began helping him.

“There’s something you should know…”

He growled in annoyance, “Let me guess, inviting that man was your idea?”

She avoided his eyes, “No, but Maege did run it by me, and I thought it would be nice. I didn’t know he gotten rid of Longclaw.”

Jorah wiped furiously at his eyes, “I can’t believe he did that.”

She placed a hand of his arm, he continued, “I trusted him with this one thing, and he goes and does this. That too behind my back!”

She nodded sympathetically; what Jeor had done was a complete betrayal. She wasn’t sure if she could forgive anyone who did the same to her cats.

“Jorah, love, come here.”

She hugged him and let him sniffle into her shoulder for a while, he abruptly pulled away when they heard a resounding yell through the farm house.

_“IF YOU WANT YOUR SON BACK, GO FETCH HIS DOG!”_

“I think Aunt Maege agrees with you.”

Jorah nodded, “It also means one more thing.”

Dany tilted her head, “What?”

“It means he didn’t tell her what he did. Probably knew she’d rip him a new hide when she found out.”

Dany nodded, then bit her lip.

“Jorah, I wanted to hold this off, but I need to go to Edinburg for a while. My family’s lawyer, Barristan Selmy, wants to have a meeting. I got the call from him a few minutes Jeor came.”

Jorah grimaced, “I’m not pleased by it, but I know that Selmy wouldn’t call you if it wasn’t urgent.”

Dany was surprised, “You know him?”

“Ex-military. He was one of the commanders of Jaime’s regiment. He’s a good man. The kind who wouldn’t give away your dog.”

“Right.” Tyrion’s older brother Jaime Lannister was also a former military man, he had lost his right hand in combat, and was discharged from the Kingsguard regiment. She squeezed his arm, giving him a small smile.

“Small world eh? I’m going to go downstairs and tell Maege of or plans.”

“Let her know I’m not mad at her.”

“Sure thing.”

Downstairs she found Maege rubbing her head, while Dacey poured her mother a drink.

“Bit early for that, isn’t it?”

Maege groused, “No, not really.”

Dacey was staring at a scrap of paper.

Dany looked around, the rest of the Mormont girls were nowhere in sight, and neither was Jeor.

“I told him not to come back without my nephew’s dog. He tried to argue that it wasn’t Jorah’s anymore, but I told him it was his problem, all I knew that Longclaw is important to Jorah.”

Dany sat down next to her, “Jeor didn’t tell you, did he?”

Dacey scoffed, “Mum would have stopped him if he did. We should have kept the mutt with us, but he kept picking a fight with the horses. So, uncle Jeor took him back with him to the academy. He gave him away to his star student soon after.”

“Do you know who?”

“I know of him. His half-brother was my commander for a while, he died on a rescue operation, soon after his father was killed in a mugging gone wrong. This was a few years ago. He left active duty and took a teaching post at the academy after their deaths to help with his siblings, all minors at the time.”

She handed him a piece of paper with a name and address on it. Dany closed her eyes and cursed whatever god was pulling the strings. Out of all the people in the world, it had to be him.

She told Maege and Dacey not to worry, that she’d get Longclaw back.

After all, Jon Snow owed her a favor.

* * *

When Arya and Rickon had pestered him out of bed this morning, he had run through his mind a list of people who could have come knocking.

He hadn’t thought he’d come face to face with these two.

Thank god Sansa was visiting Theon and Yara and not at home. He had a dog fight on his hands, he wasn’t sure if he could deal with a cat fight as well.

“You’ve done enough, I'm not letting you anywhere near Jorah.”

“I don’t need your permission.”

Jon decided against listening to their bickering. “How about you both come inside, we can a spot of tea and then discuss this like normal people.”

He ushered them in, made tea, quickly changed out of his pajamas, told Arya and Rickon to go to the dog park and take Bran with them, leaving just him and his guests.

“Well, then, Commander Mormont, Daenerys, to what do I owe the pleasure of this meeting.”

Dany rolled her eyes, “‘To what do I owe the pleasure,’ you’ve been spending too much time with Sansa lately.”

Jon grimaced, “We do live under the same roof.”

“How tragic.”

“Dany, knock it off.”

Jeor gave them an odd look, then shook his head, deciding he was better off not knowing.

“See, lad, the thing is I need a favor.”

Jon sat up straighter, “If I can help, I will.”

“I need Longclaw back.”

Dany snapped at him before Jon could respond, “Absolutely not. Jon, I will be taking Longclaw off your hands to return to him to his rightful owner.”

Jeor struggled to contain his temper, “Now listen here, lassie, you’ve got no right interfering-”

Dany had no interest in restraining herself, “I have every right! You’re the one who had no right giving away a dog you didn’t own.”

Jon banged his fist on the table, making them both jump. “Alright I’ve heard enough.”

He pointed to Dany, “At the moment, Longclaw’s rightful owner is me. I have the paperwork to prove it.” He pointed at Jeor, “And you might want to explain what she’d talking about, because you told me that Longclaw was a service dog who was no longer needed by you and so I could have him for my little brother.”

Not that Bran actually used him. No one but Arya was particularly fond of Longclaw, not through any fault of the shepherd, but everyone simply preferred their individual huskies.

“It’s true. He needs special training and my small apartment was no good for him, so I offered him to you for your little brother. I didn't think my son was interested in him anymore since he never contacted me, but as it turns out I was wrong.”

Dany threw in her two cents, “Even if he didn’t contact you, you should have consulted him before giving away Longclaw.”

Jon agreed, “Aye, you should have. What you’ve done is effectively steal a man’s dog. To think I’ve been keeping a stolen pet all this time.”

Jeor sighed, “Yes, I made a mistake, now let met fix it. I’ll pay you back for Longclaw’s expenses in full, just let me take him back to my son.”

Dany butt in, “Jon, let me take Longclaw back.”

“I’m sorry Dany, but how do you factor into this?”

She kept a straight face, “Jorah and I are together.”

“Oh.”

She willed herself not to look smug, “I actually would have been with him right now, but I had a meeting with Barristan Selmy this morning.”

Jon nodded stiffly, “I see.”

He took a deep breath, “Commander Mormont, I’m sorry, but I don’t think it’s a good idea to hand over Longclaw to you. I don’t want to get into any legal trouble, and would rather return the dog myself. I will convey your regards.”

For a moment Jon was sure that his mentor would argue with him, but then he stood up, defeated, and took off his ring, giving it to Dany saying, “Jorah will know what it means.”

When he left Jon leaned back, knowing he had already lost the battle.

Dany held his deepest secret, that he was a Targaryen. Her brother Rhaegar’s son to be exact. Ned Stark had just claimed him as his own to avoid any shame to his sister’s name.

The secret had come to light when they were dating, he still cringed inside thinking about it. They had broken it off the moment they found out, probably for the best, they were too different to last, and Dany had promised to keep it a secret so he could maintain his standing as the eldest in his family.

Unfortunately, that hadn’t been going to well. Sansa was shrewd when it came to business matters, and over the past couple of years, with Petyr Baelish’s backing, she was becoming more and more involved. It didn’t help, that their business partners, the Greyjoy siblings, Theon stayed out of decision making, and Yara preferred dealing with a woman than any men. He didn’t hold Sansa’s success against her, she was his sister, but he had to admit he was dissatisfied with his lot in life.

Which was why he was changing career’s once again, this time to open a dog rescue agency with several of his ‘wild’ friends. That’s why he had gone to Selmy, to see if his father had left him anything he could use.

“Selmy told you?”

“He did. I’m afraid I had already claimed everything before we got together, and it’s all been either spent or invested elsewhere.”

Jon sighed, just his luck.

“You can have Longclaw, Ghost and I will be sorry to see him go, but it’s not right for me to have him if his original owner is willing and capable of taking care of him.”

“Thank you. I appreciate it. I’ll pay you back whatever you spent of vets-”

“Nah, leave it be. Consider it a Christmas gift from your dear nephew.”

Dany laughed lightly, relieved that they could now joke about it, “That’s nice of you. Is there anything my nephew would like?”

“Unless you know someone who’d be willing to invest in my business, then no.”

“Actually…”

* * *

“…So, what do you say?”

Belatedly, Dany realized that Jorah might not have been listening to her at all. He was still on the carpet petting and cuddling Longclaw, and mostly ignoring Jon and her, not out of malice, but his pet clearly mattered more at the moment.

Jon and her exchanged shared a glance, when Jorah finally stood up.

“For your next novel, you should write your own life story. Your ex-boyfriend is your secret nephew who happens to be your current boyfriend’s father’s protégé. Not to mention you used up his inheritance and now want to get him funding for his animal rescue project from his dead cousin/half-brother’s former comrade’s rich businessman little brother who happens to be your current boyfriend's dear friend.”

Dany opened her mouth but didn’t know what to say.

Jon beat her to it, “I’m sorry, you lost me at dead cousin/half-brother. What does Robb have anything to do with this?”

Jorah kept petting Longclaw, “Robb Stark died in the same rescue operation that Jaime lost his hand in. It was a collaboration between their respective regiments, the first and presumably the last since it ended in several losses.”

Jon scratched the back of his neck, “Oh. It really is a small world I suppose.”

* * *

Jorah, Jaime, Tyrion, and Bronn were sitting having drinks while Longclaw lazed at Jorah’s feet. Dany and Jaime’s fiancée Brienne, sat nearby sharing some tales about the boys love for football and dogs.

Jorah had spoken to Tyrion about Jon’s request, saying that any man who treated a dog right, was a man to be trusted. Tyrion had promptly agreed to fund Jon’s animal shelter, saying that he had a soft spot for bastards, cripples and broken things, and that abandoned pets fit the last category perfectly. Jaime revealed the real reason though.

Robb and Jaime had a rivalry, and that might have been a contributing factor in the mission’s failure and the young and promising captain’s untimely death.

“We can’t be sure, but it’s possible if I had not been so full of myself and goaded the young lad, he might have more cautious and not gotten himself killed. If anything, I owed that family something, and this way, it’s a debt repaid.” Jaime leaned back, looking slightly guilty.

“He also took good care of Longclaw.”

Bronn smiled into his beer glass, while Tyrion rolled his eyes. Jaime nodded, looking serious enough to be mocking, “Yes, he took good care of Longclaw. I think we've paid that debt as well.”

Longclaw barked happily, and rested his head on Jorah’s knee. Jorah ignored everyone and scratched behind his loving companion’s ear. Dany noted with satisfaction that Longclaw didn’t seem to miss Jon at all. Her nephew he might be, but he was also her ex, and seeing him get bested by her lover was worth it’s petty satisfaction.

Dany smiled, realizing that the new year had begun on a happy note, everything was turning out wonderfully.

Jorah had received a rather emotional email from his father this evening. Jeor revealed that having Longclaw reminded him of Jorah and subsequently his failure to support his son. As such, giving up hope on ever reconciling, Jeor had chosen to give away Longclaw to a young man who was everything Jeor had hoped for Jorah to be, adding that though Jon could never truly replace Jorah, he would have taken care of the loving mutt.

Jorah had decided to invite Jeor to his presentation later this month.

For now, he looked at her with love, and she felt her heart swell for him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm afraid I don't hate Jon Snow, and feel that his character was among the most ruined arcs of canon. 
> 
> Also, Longclaw is back where he belongs.


End file.
